509 with Swamp Ash back for strat tones ?????

[Matthew Seed]

Hi guys. I am looking for a new very special guitar and maybe thinking of going for a private stock as i cant seem to find what I am looking for.

I am looking for a guitar with splittable humbuckers but where the single coil tones are really really great, strat esq tones. I suspect the first port of call will be not to go for a typical mahogany back. So i figured a swamp ash back and maple top and then maybe a maple neck with a rosewood board or even maple board too.

I thought that these wood choices would get me the right base for the right pickups to give me the best strat esq tones i could get from a split pickup.

So which guitar is the big question to base this project on. After a lot of research I keep coming back to one i have not yet played which is the 509. This guitar is separate single coils together more than a humbucker split. Can anyone help who has experienced this guitar if that makes a difference to how good the single coil tones are being done this way. And indeed how good a guitar it is in general.

Thank you for any help.
Matthew

 

[shinksma]

There was a Wood Library 509 run done with some Forum involvement through Brian's Guitars: Swamp Ash body, maple cap, maple neck and fretboard. Exactly what you are looking for.

I have one.

It is very very stratty.

And it is a fantastic guitar, of course.

Sweetwater was also selling some of a similar/same build spec.

Brian may or may not have one or two not already spoken for - they aren't all built yet, so maybe contact him for availability if you can't find one elsewhere.

 

[goof1073]

You may also want to consider a 24-08; those have some really good split tones (no volume drop, etc.) and there are enough Wood Library runs out there with Swamp Ash backs / Maple Necks to choose from...provided you don't mind a Pattern Thin neck (most are this carve...very few have the Pattern carve).

 

[goof1073]

There is also what Skinksma suggested; here is a video that Brian's posted the other day demo'ing their 509 WL run:

 

[Eddie kim]

Just buy a strat and call it a day.

 

[Matthew Seed]

Thanks guys for chipping in. Shinksma thanks for info on contacting Brian, I am in the UK but ya never know. That is an idea for me though with the stores here in the Uk that i hadn't thought of.

I have actually found what would be a dream private stock guitar in a store in japan. literally everything on it is perfect.......everything accept the colour which is nice but just not what i would pick when spending £10,000. One thought did cross my mind which is I could buy that one and have the top re coloured, this would save on having to wait soooooo long for a private stock to be made. Speaking of which, what is the average wait for a private stock, does anyone know ?

I cant link to the guitar but if you would like to see it then the shop is called ishibashi just add the usual co and then jp

or just search for prs private stock Private Stock # 8016 509

Thanks guys
Matthew

 

[bodia]

I also was in on the Brians WL run. These 509s are beyond awesome. There are still a couple left, and you won't have to,worry about CITES. Can't beat the SA back and maple bald/neck. Absolutely killer!

 

[Dancing Frog]

I have one of the Sweetwater Wood Library ones and am waiting on one of the Brian's guitar one. It's pretty strat esq. Based on my experience with 513's and 305's, I would say one with rosewood board would be closer even than one with an alder body and a maple neck.

 

[Glide-bpm]

Can't beat the SA Wood Library 509 run!!!

 

[Rusty Chops]

How about that John Mayer PRS “Skylab,” or whatever it’s called?

 

[Rusty Chops]

How about that John Mayer PRS “Skylab,” or whatever it’s called?

Sorry: “Silver Sky!”

 

[bodia]

Can't beat the SA Wood Library 509 run!!!

Truth!

 

[Casi1]

Having played both a Strat-esque 509 and the Silver Sky, my vote is... it depends.

It depends on just how close you need to get to Strat sounds and just how badly you need humbuckers.

If you don’t need humbuckers, then the Silver Sky is your PRS if you can live with the neck shape/feel. It doesn’t copy Strat tone... it is Strat tone.

If you need humbuckers, then the best bet is the maple / swamp ash 509 with Rosewood board... it will get you close to those stratty tones but only you can determine if close is close enough. It wasn’t close enough for me but then again, I wanted full on Strat tone.

I gave up on my search for a PRS that nailed Strat tones until I played the Silver Sky but I couldn’t get on with the neck. I got on with the tones just fine. I am too impatient to wait to see if the model has other neck options in 2019 and I was too cheap to spec a PS Silver Sky. Ultimately, I ended up with an old F Strat that sounds amazing and cost me less than 2k; I kept all of my PRS humbucking guitars.

When I become a rich and famous guitarist (after I learn my scales ), I will just have to bring at least two guitars with me to all of my shows.

 

[Boogie]

...the Silver Sky... It doesn’t copy Strat tone... it is Strat tone.

That’s been the consensus of the SS owners I know. Having played a SS only a couple of times, I’ll admit that the neck felt PRS good, but not something that left a particular impression. Not “omg that’s amazing” or “eww, that sux”. What was it that bothered you about the neck?

 

[Casi1]

That’s been the consensus of the SS owners I know. Having played a SS only a couple of times, I’ll admit that the neck felt PRS good, but not something that left a particular impression. Not “omg that’s amazing” or “eww, that sux”. What was it that bothered you about the neck?

The thick lacquer bothered me the most. I have never felt lacquer that thick in my life. The neck was also a bit of a baseball bat but I typically like those as long as they don’t have sharp shoulders. I would have dealt with the neck profile but I couldn’t handle the lacquer, not for the price point.

 

[bodia]

The thick lacquer bothered me the most. I have never felt lacquer that thick in my life. The neck was also a bit of a baseball bat but I typically like those as long as they don’t have sharp shoulders. I would have dealt with the neck profile but I couldn’t handle the lacquer, not for the price point.

This is why I didn't keep mine. I was too chicken to do anything to that lacquer. Great guitar though!

 

[Mozzi]

I have the core 509 - ie the Mahogany body/neck, maple cap and rosewood fretboard - and the SC's aren't as 'Strat' like as a proper 'strat' guitar. It also has a bit more of a 'telecaster' tone from the SC's. Its not got the ice-picky high end and I think it has a bit more depth/warmth. I find some strats to be too bright, too much treble and not enough mid/bass to add a bit more warmth/depth so it suits my needs. I am not a 'strat' player so the 509 is 'MY' compromise to get the SC sounds if I need.

Having heard a few 'demo's' of wood library 509's and compared that to demo's of the core as well as my experience of my own, it does seem that the WL 'strat' build (I say 'strat' build as it has woods more associated with Strats) appears to be more of a 'strat' sounding SC 509 with the bonus of being able to fatten up the bridge and neck by toggling on the 'humbuckers'. I see mine more as a traditional Humbucker with the bonus of getting strat/tele type SC tones so not too bothered that they aren't 'exactly' like a Strat or Tele.

I know some may want a more traditional sounding Strat - and others have mentioned the Silver Sky. In sound tests, it does sound excellent and compares very well to the original 63/64 strats too. Its clear my 509 sounds 'different' - not better or worse as its personal preference - but if you are looking to get that 'tone' then you may get closer with a WL 509. Of course if you A-B it with a Strat, there is likely to be a difference but you should try it anyway and see if it gives you the sounds you want, plays like you want etc. The 509 is a lot more difficult to switch out the PU's and you can't change the neck either. A traditional Strat is a lot more easy to customise - put the PU's in you want, maybe even put 5 SC's in a strat in a similar arrangement. You can change the neck too if you want a different shape, different radius etc.

At the end of the day, you have to decide whether its close enough for the added versatility or whether you would be better off just buying a Strat and/or Humbucker guitar - you could get both for the money of a WL 509. I would suggest trying a 509 if you can - maybe even compare a core to a WL to hear the difference the woods make, see if you find it comfortable to play. Its better if you come to your own conclusions and make up your own mind...

 

[Dancing Frog]

I have a Fender 69 Relic Strat, a 509 Wood Library with a maple capped swamp ash back, a GOTM 509, a 305 Prototype, and a 509 production to switch between. Those PRS are all basically different colors of tone on the Fender side of the house. The Strat and the 305 are basically alder bodied instruments. Having experience with all different flavors of 513's, alder tends to give the guitar more of flat EQ response with a chimey top end compared to swamp ash which is mid scooped with tight lows and bright highs and gives a swamp ash guitar more of a twang like a telecaster. What surprised me about the WL509 was the warmth as I was fully expecting the difference to be the same as the difference between a 513 production and a 513 Swamp Ash which was much more mid scooped.

I tend to see the WL509 and GOTM 509 as more of a highlight of Fender tones in one guitar, a Tele bridge tone with a Strat neck tone. It has their characteristic growl and coo with a fatter mid range. It's really not surprising considering the wood and higher signal of the 509 pick ups. When I roll the volume back engaging the treble bypass circuit, I can get pretty close. In the last show, I was running the WL and the GOTM through an AX8 switching between models of a '59 Fender Twin, a '63 Vox AC30, and a Marshall SLP with a FuzzFace in front, it pretty much nailed the Fender tone for the 50's and 60's in the mix. I can definitely hear that it's not a Fender up close and personal, it doesn't have a lot of that "bag of washers" jangle that Strat aficionados find appealing. But, it does have enough to have its own personality.

 

[HANGAR18]

Hi guys. I am looking for a new very special guitar and maybe thinking of going for a private stock as i cant seem to find what I am looking for.

I am looking for a guitar with splittable humbuckers but where the single coil tones are really really great, strat esq tones. I suspect the first port of call will be not to go for a typical mahogany back. So i figured a swamp ash back and maple top and then maybe a maple neck with a rosewood board or even maple board too.

I thought that these wood choices would get me the right base for the right pickups to give me the best strat esq tones i could get from a split pickup.

So which guitar is the big question to base this project on. After a lot of research I keep coming back to one i have not yet played which is the 509. This guitar is separate single coils together more than a humbucker split. Can anyone help who has experienced this guitar if that makes a difference to how good the single coil tones are being done this way. And indeed how good a guitar it is in general.

Thank you for any help.
Matthew

You may also want to consider a 24-08; those have some really good split tones (no volume drop, etc.) and there are enough Wood Library runs out there with Swamp Ash backs / Maple Necks to choose from...provided you don't mind a Pattern Thin neck (most are this carve...very few have the Pattern carve).

Yes. Sounds like you are looking for a new Custom 24-08 with a Swamp Ash body, Maple Top, Maple Neck and a Brazillian Rosewood fingerboard. PM me and I'll sell you mine. Cheap.

 

[Rider1260]

That GUITAR is Killer Hmmm ( must resist )

Yes. Sounds like you are looking for a new Custom 24-08 with a Swamp Ash body, Maple Top, Maple Neck and a Brazillian Rosewood fingerboard. PM me and I'll sell you mine. Cheap.